Vintage Road Racing Association

Just a simple question
Honda Goldwings can it make a reliable sidecar ???
In P2 or P3

P3 has a 900 cc limit, i submited a rule change back in august to increase cc size to a period correct. 1200. as that what was running in 1982. i hope we get a ruleing before the season starts. as there are a few builders waiting. i think a goldwing could be made to run hard. JG

I doubt it will happen as the Goldwing is liquid cooled.& that would open up a whole new can of worms.

Brad

I'm sure there is going to be some lively debate(s) when the P3 sidecar rules proposals are published.

I do hope that it will be sidecar racers and builders making the decisions about sidecar racing in the VRRA, instead of those who are not fully aware of the 'real' period correct outfits of that era; I am hoping the rules blend in with AHRMA and SRA's Forgotten Era class. P3 sidecar rules need a break, so the existing P3 bikes would be encouraged to come out and race....we need bigger grids to justify the track time. Seems pretty simple to me.
Cheers everyone!
Jean-Guy and Christine Ractliffe
TEAM CSR

OK, I'll bite.......

I guess the operative phrase is 'period correct outfits of the era'. Question is what/which era, and where? Not exactly a simple question(s).

As for 'blending' with AHRMA & SRA, chassis design isn't an issue per say, but engines definitely is. Both VRRA & AHRMA's cut-off is 1982, but there is a big difference in what each allows. AHRMA is 750 to 1300cc, any configuration; basically pocket book racing / run what you brung. That will not 'grow the sport'. Won't get into how they've also screwed up the P1 & P2 rules as well. As for SRA's Forgotten Era the cut-off is in the 1990's. That's not going to fly.

Both CRMA in the UK, and HMRA in Oz have 1300cc limits. However, they both have restrictions in place. CRMA limits bikes (their P3) to front exit, 10" to 15" x 6" wheels, and 5.5" treaded tires. As well they limit the Honda SOHC to 836cc, cut-off is 1972, so no Z1's, GS's, or TZ's. HMRA front exit P4's have a 1972 cut-off, and similar wheel/tire rules to CMRA's P3. Their P5 is rear exit 1982 cut-off, slicks, and ruled by the GS1000. The GSX1100 is banned along with TZ's. AMA's limit in the early 80's was 750 2 strokes (TZ's mainly), and 1000cc 4 strokes (Kaw & GS).

csrrace wrote:I do hope that it will be sidecar racers and builders making the decisions about sidecar racing in the VRRA, instead of those who are not fully aware of the 'real' period correct outfits of that era; I am hoping the rules blend in with AHRMA and SRA's Forgotten Era class. P3 sidecar rules need a break, so the existing P3 bikes would be encouraged to come out and race....we need bigger grids to justify the track time. Seems pretty simple to me.
Cheers everyone!
Jean-Guy and Christine Ractliffe
TEAM CSR

Unfortunately or fortunately depending on the point of view, just like everything else in VRRA, everyone gets a vote. As one 5th of the executive, i might be inclined to have a recommendation on the rule submission that only people that have a stake in VRRA sidecar racing participate in the vote and that people that have no clue about the design and rules of sidecar racing leave the vote blank. But i don't know if the other execs would agree to have that as part of the recommendation.

Another point of view is that it is up to the individual proposing the rule change to do the research and provide voting members with as much info as possible, it is also up to other individuals to come on the forum and offer productive well researched counter points. In the end, most rule voting really comes down to each person's interpretation of the information they have.

Having the voting by mail makes it very hard for someone to make a counterpoint to the rule change, I wrote a rule change a few years ago that was voted down i feel because of the way it was written when the rule change went out, if i would have been in a room explaining my point of view, the wording of the proosed rule change could have been modified on the spot and probably would have passed... this is what we live with unless you want to have a week long AGM meeting